New Zealand head coach Gary Stead on Sunday said the decision to cancel the tour of Pakistan was “out of our hands” and backed his players to treat their upcoming T20 World Cup opener against the Asian nation like any other match despite the angry remarks by PCB chief Ramiz Raja.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) abandoned its men’s team’s tour of Pakistan just before the start of the first ODI citing a security threat, leaving the host nation disappointed as well as angry. “That decision was out of our hands,” Stead was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.

“... Guys are now in Dubai and getting ready, and there’s the IPL that they can have a good look at,” Stead added.

He said the five players who were meant to be playing in a five-match T20 series in Pakistan have begun training under batting coach Thilan Samaraweera in the UAE, where nine other squad members and travelling reserve Adam Milne are playing in the Indian Premier League.

“I think they’re okay. It was obviously unsettling what happened in Pakistan and we feel for the Pakistan cricket fraternity and fans,” Stead said.

Stead backed his team to shut out the hype and noise around the recent pullout when they play Pakistan in the mega-event.

“Certainly, being that it’s Pakistan, people will hype that up, but for us it’s no different to any other match,” Stead said.